CIF BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Maxwell Revives Birmingham : Forward’s 32 Points Bring Braves Back to Life, 58-56

Ennerea Maxwell found his own remedy for Birmingham’s playoff jitters: Score 32 points and call me in the final.

Maxwell’s two free throws with 12 seconds left clinched a nerve-wracking 58-56 win over Los Angeles that sends Birmingham into next week’s City 3-A championship at the Sports Arena against Northwest Valley League rival Granada Hills. The teams split their regular-season games.

All three of Birmingham’s playoff wins have been close--closer than expected for the Braves, who are 22-2 and seeded first in City 3-A. But Maxwell wasn’t going to let anything stop him from administering his personal brand of medicine.

“Ever since the 10th grade I always wanted to be in a championship,” the 6-6 Maxwell said. And when he came to the foul line with the game on the line, that was all the senior forward had on his mind.

“I was thinking, sink the free throws and we’re going home.”

Maxwell’s game barely outshone the efforts of Los Angeles’ 6-8 center, Chris Knight. It was these two who battled it out along the baseline during the game’s deciding minutes.

The struggle came down to one rebound with 1:29 left.

“I had to go for it,” Knight said. “The game was close and we had to get that rebound.”

Instead, Knight got his fifth foul and a seat on the bench. Birmingham got a trip to the Sports Arena.

“This is the way we’ve been all year,” Birmingham Coach Jeff Halpern said after the game. “When we need it, these guys are ready to play. It’s a dream come true.”

Perhaps, but there were times Friday night when Halpern might have seen a few nightmares pass before his eyes.

In only his first year at Birmingham, Halpern still remembers all too well his Van Nuys team of two years ago that lost to underdog San Pedro in the semifinals. His current team has also had its troubles in the playoffs.

But this time Birmingham came flying out of the blocks against Los Angeles (15-9) as Maxwell scored 10 of his team’s first 16 points and the Braves took a 16-10 first-quarter lead.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, couldn’t attack Birmingham’s 2-1-2 zone. The Romans weren’t scoring from the outside either, so they had to be content with working the full-court press on defense.

Halfway through the second quarter, that strategy paid off. And Birmingham’s season almost unraveled before Halpern’s eyes.

On six consecutive trips downcourt, Birmingham found six different ways to trip up. There were turnovers, offensive fouls and missed free throws. And there were 14 straight Los Angeles points that gave the Romans a 26-24 lead.

Junior forward Orlando Holloway, who led his team with 23, did most of the damage.

Then Maxwell administered CPR. He finished with 20 first-half points and Birmingham hung on for a 32-30 lead at the break. Again, in the fourth quarter, the Braves showed signs of cardiac arrest. They threw the ball away three straight times and the Romans pulled to within one, 51-50.

Again Maxwell saved the dying patient. His driving jump shot, followed with a pair of free throws, revived Birmingham. Center Keith Owens assisted in the operation, hitting two vital foul shots himself.

Holloway scored a jump shot at the buzzer, but it wasn’t enough to rescue the Romans.